The present invention relates to pipe handling apparatus and, in particular, to chimney flue insertion apparatus having L-shaped arms rotatably fixed along a threaded shaft and radially expanding or contracting therefrom via a moving carrier and a cantilever assembly coupling the carrier to the arms.
With the possible exception of modern multiple sectioned-metal lined chimneys, most chimneys have heretofore been constructed from masonry materials. Such chimneys are generally constructed around an interior clay flue lining (either circular or rectangular in cross section) and about which are spaced either masonry rings of an appropriate inside dimension to match the clay liner or stacked chimney brick. Although, in some instances, chimneys have been constructed without using a liner at all, typically, a masonry veneer is used to contain the clay liner and whereby the smoke and other combustion gases are exhausted to the outside.
While masonry chimneys are preferrable to metal chimneys, over time they may deterioate and necessitate replacement or repair. Typically, such repairs are necessitated where the flue liner is cracked, separated or otherwise broken so as to permit flue gases to escape from the flue and enter the space between the liner and the masonry blocks. Such situations can prove rather dangerous in that the heated gases tend to deterioate the masonry blocks and cement joints and/or in some cases start chimney fires. Chimney fires, in turn, are dangerous in that if the liner and masonry should crack, combustable materials will be exposed to the chimney fire.
Difficulty in repairing clay lined chimneys arises, however, in that once the chimney has been assembled, the sections of chimney flue are no longer readily accessible. In this regards, therefore, it is necessary with most old chimney flues, if they have not already collapsed, to break and remove the old flue from the bottom of the chimney via the clean out, before relining the chimney. While such preparation is difficult, it is more difficult to reline the chimney with new sections of clay flue, in that the flue sections are approximately 2 feet long, whereas the typical chimney extends 25 feet or more. Thus, it is necessary to individually and successively blindly stack the clay liners, one upon the other, until the entire chimney is relined. Concurrent with this relining is the necessity of properly aligning the individual flue sections as well as bonding the sections together with an appropriate refractory mortar.
Heretofore, such relining efforts have been either avoided as by filling the chimney cavity with an appropriate inflated balloon and filling the cavity with a concrete slurry (Bittman, M., Reline Your Chimney, Popular Science, pp. 118-124, October, 1982) or with a great deal of difficulty using ropes and individual hooks for grasping the sections. Alternatively, an inflatable setting tool (ACU-set) can be employed for individually containing and setting the flue sections, Id. p. 124.
Various other known alternative interior grasping mechanisms can also be found upon reference to U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,778,671; 1,804,843; 2,610,888; 1,169,004; 881,496; and 4,304,398. However, while such other structures serve the same general purpose as the present apparatus, they are distinguishable from the present invention in the details of their configurations and which will become more apparent upon a reading of the present description.
As mentioned in the above referenced article, the Acu-set tool is cost prohibitive for the average user and requires a great deal of care to avoid punctures during use. The present invention, however, offers a most cost effective and ruggedized tool that is more easily employed. In particular, the present invention contemplates a flue setting tool that is comprised of a center threaded shaft that contains a moving "screw follower" carrier and a rotatable sleeve that is fixed relative to the shaft. A plurality of L-shaped arms are coupled to the sleeve at the junction of the major and minor portions thereof and which couplings act as fulcrum points. Associated cantilever arms, in turn, couple the L-shaped arms to the moving carrier and whereby the L-shaped arms may be radially expanded or retracted by moving the carrier down or up the threaded rod.
The above referenced objects and advantages of the present invention, as well as others, will however become more apparent upon a reading of the following description, with reference to the following drawings.